Confessions of a Fun Feminist
Posted by Jill @ 11:20 am

This post has started quite the discussion about feminism, class, and which is [...]

Because all you seem to be doing is attacking plucky punk, and belledame, and everyone else who doesn’t agree with you, on the basis that they’re insufficiently guilt-ridden about the choices they make. But where the fuck, exactly, does being guilt-ridden get us? What the fuck good does it do women without shoes for a bunch of women with shoes to argue over whether those shoes properly reject the patriarchy?

Little light I am sick to God of people saying that feminists say this and feminist say that. I shouldn’t have to fucking see it on a feminist board of all places. “My husband’s penis is oppressing me”? Like, how, does it detach and operate by remote control?

And Belledame, are you attacking Twisty on the basis of her sarcastic self-assessment and lack of class analysis? She’s said some awfully offensive shit about the patriarchy, about those ‘empowerful sports-corseted women’ and anybody who caters to it. It’s really easy to appeal to the patriarchy. It’s effortless, in the sense that it works. Feminism gets in the face of the patriarchy and doesn’t do what it wants. It hasn’t exactly been hugely successful. Once again, look at BB.

Fact is, if you’re worried about things like your fucking shoes, makeup, and vibrator, you’re a whole fucking step above women who have to worry about being barefoot, uneducted, pregnant, raped, and all the rest.

This is the last time I’m going to try to reply to anything you post about me, ginmar, because it’s pretty clear that you’re not listening.

The whole point of my argument is that Twisty’s quote seems to show that *she* is the one preoccupied my shoes, makeup, and vibrator, which are all pretty inconsequential in the grand scheme of things when compared with all the other shit women have to face, including being barefoot, uneducated, pregnant, and raped.

But you know, go ahead, and make me into whatever pretend boogeyman you want. I don’t care.

But I will point out that it’s pretty dishonest of you to agree to a truce on over this on a thread at Pandagon and come back and snipe at me here.

But whatever. I’m so done with this.

Um, is there something I’m missing? If you’re rich, your’e rich. If you make fun of other womens’ oppression, you get called on it. It’s classist. You want me to make it pretty for all you college-educated feminists? WAnt it to feel better? Sorry, not my fuckin’ job. Saying mockingly —or with hyperbole, excuse my trailer park white trash ass—–that you get oppressed by your husband’s dick makes fun of women who ARE oppressed, not just some rich whtie yuppie asshole’s dick, but by LOTS AND LOTS of them.

Oh, and by the way? Try quoting the whole fucking quote. Rich privileged women only get oppressed by select men of their own class, or by guys with a death wish and an attitude. Unprivileged women get oppressed by every asshole out there who has a dick. Do you really want to compare numbers? How do you know you’re oppressed? Count hte men that do it. If the only guy you have to worry about is your hubby, well, then, christ, wanna trade? ‘Cause I’ll do it in a second. Fact is, if you’re worried about things like your fucking shoes, makeup, and vibrator, you’re a whole fucking step above women who have to worry about being barefoot, uneducted, pregnant, raped, and all the rest.

So, want to try it again?

If one’s politics don’t run in that direction, simply work on the bits you like, and don’t worry if other people have different political convictions.

My aunt doesn’t wear makeup. She doesn’t shave her legs, doesn’t wear skirts, doesn’t wear high heels, didn’t start wearing a bra until it became uncomfortable for her to not do so. Do any of these things make her a feminist? No. She could be doing all of these things and looking the part, but if she’s sitting at home, blissfully unaware of the plight of women in today’s society, she’d be nothing more than a lump on a cushy recliner. What makes her a feminist is the fact that she does care, that she does donate to causes that have a positive impact on the lives of women, she does participate in the political process to try to influence legislation and change things at the top. Her influence throughout my life has been part of the reason I do the same things – but hasn’t been enough to stop me from wearing makeup and heels, because she and I both realize that the trappings of feminism don’t a feminist make.

feminism, or at least the version(s) we’re talking about here, is supposed to be all about levelling the power imbalances, yeah-yeah? therefore: hierarchy: patriarchal: not good. and of course none of us would tell anyone what to do, directly; nonono.

and yet, and yet.